Amusement device



D. E. WELSH.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24. |921.

II,4I82,2% Patented om. I7, 1922.

Patented @cc-t.. l?, i922.

malin iinusnirnnr :envien Application filed January 2li, 1921.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that l, DAvID EDWARD l/VnLsH, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Los Angeles, county of Los ringeles, and State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a clear and eXact description, enabling those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to amusement devices, and more particularly to lan amusement device having the form of a rotatable playing table superimposed upon a rotatable platform and adapted to oscillate relative to said rotatable platform in the manner substantially as described.

An objectV of this invention is to produce an amusement device which is harmless in character, simple in construction and yet interesting and exciting to the players as well as to the spectators.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a rotatable platform, and superimposed thereon, and universally connected therewith, a playing table and suitable mechanical means on the rotatable platform to enable the operator of this device to impart an oscillating motion to the superimposed playing table, while both table and platform may be stationary or rotatedr by independent mechanical means in the manner substantially as shown.

Heretofore in amusement devices of this character the amusement feature has depended solely upon the action ,of centrifugal forces, thus The persons playing are first grouped seated in the center of the table. The device is then set in rotative actionl and the speed gradually increased until the players so vgrouped are displaced by centrifugal action and scattered in all directions from the center outward toward the periphery of the table.

This'scattering action comprises all the amusement produced and the play thus terminates, the operator having no power to further control the movements of the players.

In the operation of my device herein described, the most conspicuous feature of novelty lies in the capability of the operat-orv to control the movements of the players at will.

lt is an object of my invention to produce Serial No. 439,634.

ing table may be then set in motion and the playing table gradually inclined until the players on. the raised side are displaced and slide diametrically across the table.

Automatic reversal of the tilting action reverses the sliding direction of the players and also displaces the players who are on -the low side and were not displaced by the first tilt.

All the players are now sliding back and forth across the slowly revolving table.

rllhe operator `may now change the first plane of inclination. to a second plane of oscillation at 90o from the first (by switching the power from one mechanismv to another) causing the players to change their direction of movement, andv to slide back and forth across the table on a plane of inclination at right angles to their first line of movement.

Sense of direction isannulled by the revolving table; the direction of the planes of inclination cannot be defined by the players, and apparently occur at any or all points of the circle.

The change from the line of movement of the players sliding back andforth to an-y other line of movement at right angles to the first causes great confusiomthe operator having the capability ofcontinuing or alternatingthe different lines of movement at will.

This confusion of the players sliding about the surface of the table (apparently 10o in all directions) with involuntary and constantly changing groupings constitute the main amusement factor of this device.

1When itis desired to terminate the play,

the operator brings the table to the horizon- 105 tal positiomthen gradually increases the speed until centrifugal force becomes active and spins the players from their grouped positions on the table to substantially their original posit-ions around the periphery. 110

The table is then brought to rest.

This one iinal action., viz, the spinning of the players from the center or other positions on the table outwardly to the periphery of the playing table constitutes the entire amusement efliciency of all existing cen. trifugal action amusement devices.

ln the figures, 1 is a suitable foundation, made preferably of a cement. 2 is a metal base mounted upon said cement base 1, and having aperture in its center to accome modate a` vertical shaft 1, to which is attached a collar 5 is a soft metal ring, made preferably of a bearing metal such as a bronze, and adapted to take a portion of a possible load, which may be imposed upon it by a slight deflection of the center part of the reciprocalplatform 6.y 7 7 are a plurality of wheels, mounted upon bearings vsuch as the short shafts 8, said wheels being rigidly attached to the platform 6 and running upon a circular' endless' track 9. k10 represents a driving pulley, mounted 0n a driving shaft 11. 12 is a flexible cable passing over the drive pulley 10 and around the groove 13, which extends completely around the periphery of the turntable 6. 15

- is the side wall of a suitable inclosure. 16

is the plane table, upon which the players are placed in the manner hereinbefore set forth for the purpose of playing. The table 16 is mounted upon a universal coupling 0r what may. be termed gimbals designated as `17,-at the top of the vertical shaft 4;. thus the degree of inclination of the table 16 yis controlled entirely by a plurality ofv cables, two of which are represented in-Figure 2 of the drawings by 18 and 19 respectively,

these cables being representative only of suitable means t0 cause the inclination or oscillation ofthe table 16. 2O and 21 are a plurality of idling pulleys, commonly termed sheaves. 22 represents two endless chains running over sprockets 30 and 31, the same being coupled together by a connecting link 23, to which is attached the ca- ,bles 18 and 19 respectively.` 24C is ay small pulleyy adapted `to drive the chai-ns 22 over the sprockets 3() and 31, by means of a flexible chain extending from sprocket 24 to `sprocket lQ5, which may be driven by a motor 26 best suited to this purpose. `lt will thusbe seen that a continuous rotary motion, caused by the motor 26, imparted by sarocket 251to sprocket 2l, willcause the endless chains 22 t0` continuously travel over the sprockets 30 and 31. rllhis continuous motion will cause the coupling 23 to Atravel from one set of sprockets 30 to the other set of sprockets 31, and then return tof30, causing a reciprocating motion.l rlhis reciprocating motion is imparted to cables 18 and 19 respectively, which convey the same by means of the couplings 27 and 28, to a substantial part 29 of the playing table 16; thus a continuous oscillation of the table 16 may be produced from the motor means mounted on table 16, entirely independent of the outside driving means 10 and 11, adapted to cause the rotation of the entire unit in the manner and for the purpose as hereinbefore fully set forth.

l claim:

1. An amusement device comprising a primary turntable, means to rotate same, a vertical shaft through the center, a secondary superimposed playing table mounted upon a gimbfal at the top 0f the vertical center shaft, means on the primary turntable, under control of the operator, adapted to cause ther oscillation of the secondary playing table on either one of two axes, said axes being at an angle of 90o to each other.

f2.4 In amusement device the combination with a primary circular turntable free to rotate, of a center shaft therethrough, a superimposed playing table vuniversally mounted on top of said center shaft, ofl

said oscillation to be independent of any rotation.

3. A circular turntable, a circular track thereunder, a plurality 0f wheels attached to said turntable and adapted torun on said track, a vertical center shaft, a uni-l.

versal coupling at the top of said center shaft, a superimposed playing table mounted on said center shaft and means on'the turntable tol cause a continuous or intermittent oscillation of said superimposed v playing table on either one of two axes, said axes being at right angles the one to the other.

. et. In an amusement 4device a circular primary table free, to rotate, a secondary superimposed table mounted centrally of said pri- `mary table by means of a iuiiversal coupling, a plurality of cables attached to said superimposed table in proximity to its pelic riphery, said-cables operating over sheaves navm EDWARD wEfLsH; 

